Partnership will expand 54gene’s sequencing-based research and molecular diagnostics
capabilities with a focus on improving health outcomes through precision medicine
Illumina, Inc. (NASDAQ: ILMN) has just announced a collaboration with 54gene, a health
technology company whose mission is to advance precision medicine capabilities in Africa
through research, advanced molecular diagnostics and clinical programs. The partnership will
support the establishment of a new genetics facility in Lagos, Nigeria, equipped with a suite of
Illumina's cutting-edge sequencing and high-density microarray technology platforms, which
will generate genetic information for health research and drug development.

Africa contains more genetic diversity than any other continent because the African genome is
the oldest human genome. Yet it is estimated that fewer than 3% of the genomes analyzed come
from Africans, making it a potentially rich source of new genetic information for health and drug
discovery research, which 54gene intends to leverage as a global research resource while
ensuring Africans benefit from cutting-edge medical innovations.

Paula Dowdy, SVP, General Manager EMEA, Illumina, said, “It’s incredibly important to ensure
equitable access to genomic sequencing technology across the world so that genomes can be
interpreted in the context of global diversity. Through partnerships such as this with 54gene, we
aim to remove barriers of access to sequencing and expand the benefits of genomics to as many
people as possible.”

54gene Founder and CEO Dr. Abasi Ene-Obong said, “The addition of Illumina’s cutting-edge
technology to our research and diagnostic capabilities is a critical step for 54gene in fulfilling our
mission of equalizing access to precision medicine. This is part of our wider commitment to
build capacity and infrastructure in Africa, which will allow us to significantly expand genomics
research, while also improving health outcomes on the continent. Alongside our many partners in
the African medical and scientific community, we want to make advanced molecular diagnostics
more accessible to the region, while creating hundreds of skilled jobs in molecular biology and
bioinformatics.”
Through the partnership, African samples stored in 54gene’s de-identified biobank, will be
genotyped, sequenced and analyzed without the need to send samples overseas, reflecting
Illumina’s commitment to enabling Africa to expand its genomic capabilities. Having local
infrastructure will reduce costs and turnaround time for test results. Illumina will also deliver its

renowned training to support the use of its sequencing and microarray equipment and ensure
ongoing support for 54gene’s growing team of molecular scientists.

As part of this collaboration, 54gene is equipping its new laboratory in Lagos with cutting-edge
sequencing and high-density microarray technology platforms. This will make it the first private
laboratory in Africa with these capabilities. Some of the instruments to be installed include:
1. Novaseq 6000 – this is the most advanced and latest model of genetic sequencers capable
of performing whole genome sequencing on humans
2. NextSeq 550Dx – this is an FDA approved sequencer capable of performing Whole
Exome Sequencing and liquid biopsies for research and clinical use
3. IScan platforms – this is a high-density microarray platform capable of genotyping more
than 100,000 samples a year